JICA hands over equipment under Conservation of Silk Road Cultural Heritage through Digital Archives Project

JICA Delivers Equipment for Digital Archiving of Silk Road Cultural Heritage

On August 18, 2026, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Cultural Heritage Agency held a handover ceremony for equipment provided under the "Project for Conservation of Silk Road Cultural Heritage through Digital Archives."

This initiative aims to bolster Uzbekistan's capacity for safeguarding and preserving its cultural assets. It achieves this by supplying essential equipment for the digital archiving of culturally and archaeologically significant collections held by the Cultural Heritage Agency, the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan (SMHU), and the Archeological Museum of Termez (AMT). Ultimately, the project seeks to foster cultural promotion and regional revitalization within Uzbekistan.

The SMHU, a leading museum in Uzbekistan, houses approximately 340,000 artifacts, including items from Buddhist archaeological sites. Its exhibits span archaeological, historical, and folklore aspects of Central Asian civilization, dating back to the Stone Age.

The AMT possesses around 110,000 artifacts unearthed from archaeological sites in the Surkhandarya region, featuring numerous pieces from the Graeco-Bactrian and Kushan (Buddhism) eras. The museum also features a dedicated exhibition space honoring the late Mr. KATO Kyuzo, a Japanese scholar who played a significant role in the excavation and preservation of archaeological sites near Termez.

The Grant Aid project, valued at JPY 55,900,000.00, encompasses the provision of equipment such as computer hardware, scanners, cameras, and presentation tools, alongside consulting services.

The project's outcomes will be realized through the digitalization and long-term preservation of cultural and historical heritage. This will also enhance accessibility for both domestic and international visitors via website demonstrations.